The present invention relates to the dispensing arts. It finds particular application in conjunction with connection of a dispensing tube to a neck of a reservoir of fluid for use in dispensers for delivering soap, hand lotions, creams, and the like, into the palm of a user, and will be described with particular reference thereto. It should be appreciated, however, that the invention is also applicable to the dispensing of other fluid, viscous, and pasty materials, such as food products, where a flexible tube is secured to the neck of a container.
Hand-operated dispensers are widely used for delivery of liquid soaps, hand lotions, creams, and the like. These are typically mounted on a wall and consist of a housing and a dispensing mechanism. The fluid is stored in a replaceable reservoir, such as a plastic container, within the housing and delivered, as needed, by actuating the dispensing mechanism.
A wide variety of dispensing mechanisms have been developed for dispensing discrete doses of fluid. One type of dispenser employs a resiliently flexible dispensing tube or pathway which is compressed between two rigid members to deliver the fluid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,854 to McDermott, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,975 to Crespi, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,871 to Banks, et al. disclose such dispensers. A cap connects the tube to the neck of a container of fluid.
Because the tube is compressed and released many times during its lifetime, it is desirable for it to be formed from a material without a memory, so that it returns to its original shape after each compression. Such materials tend to be soft and may be damaged during attachment of the cap. This can lead to leakage of the fluid around the area of the cap or premature failure of the tube. Moreover, it desirable to have a cap which is rotatable in one direction only-the capping direction, so that the cap is not accidentally removed during removal of the dust cover. Rohr, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,174 discloses a removal resistant closure for mounting on the neck of a container. Two helical parallel threads on an interior surface of the cap engage similar threads on an exterior surface of the neck. The threads on the neck converge to form a projection. The arrangement causes the closure threads to jump from their threaded engagement and the cap spins freely on the container. While such a cap would prevent accidental disconnection of a dispensing tube during use, the spinning of the cap could damage the tube. There remains a need for a cap which seals the tube to the container neck without damage to the tube.
Traditionally, fluid containers often include a dust cover, or overcap to protect against accidental spillage or contamination during transit and storage. Weiler, U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,897 discloses an overcap with a frangible web. When the contents are to be dispensed, the web is broken to expose a dispensing nozzle.
If used with dispensing tubes formed from soft materials, however, such an overcap could cause damage to the tube if subjected to pressure during transport and storage. There remains a need for a dust cover which protects a soft dispensing tube during transport and storage.
Caps are often formed with a series of v-shaped serrations on an outer surface of the cap for providing improved gripping equally during capping and uncapping. For dispenser caps, where there is no need for the cap to be later removed, such serrations compromise gripping engagement in the capping direction in exchange for unnecessary and unwanted engagement in the uncapping direction.
The present invention provides a new and improved cap and dust cover which overcomes the above referenced problems and others.